Nagpur: In a significant development, N. Kumar on Monday appeared in person before the High Court and submitted that he would demolish the iconic Poonam Tower, located opposite Vidhan Bhawan, within a period of two months.
Addressing the court directly, N. Kumar informed the bench that the demolition process would commence within one week. His personal appearance and categorical assurance were taken on record by the court.
Poonam Tower, a well-known structure in the Vidhan Bhawan area, has long been at the centre of legal and administrative scrutiny.
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Feb 10th, 2026 - Time 11.45Hrs
A Division Bench of Justice Anil L. Pansare and Justice Nivedita P. Mehta, while hearing Writ Petition No. 998 of 2026, declined to grant relief against the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) demolition order dated January 20, 2026. The petition had challenged the NMC’s direction to remove unauthorised structures.
During the proceedings, the petitioner, who appeared in person, informed the court that he would himself demolish the unauthorised construction, originally notified through a notice dated August 26, 2004. The court accepted this statement as an undertaking.
According to court records, the unauthorised construction includes a parking area measuring 1,298.40 square metres, construction beyond the sanctioned plot area of 1,494.06 square metres, an illegal seventh floor spanning 1,175.42 square metres, and construction exceeding the permissible height by three metres.
Later in the day, a pursis was filed on behalf of the petitioner stating that he suffered breathlessness and was admitted to Arneja Heart Institute, Dhantoli, seeking a few days’ time to recover. While taking the pursis on record, the court clarified that the undertaking to demolish the unauthorised structure remained binding.
The High Court ordered that demolition work must begin on February 16, 2026, and be completed by April 10, 2026. It further warned that if the petitioner fails to commence demolition on the scheduled date, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation will initiate demolition from February 17, 2026, and complete it at the earliest.
Both the petitioner and the NMC have been directed to submit a progress report on February 23, 2026, when the matter will be heard again.
